Stockton Thunder At Las Vegas Wranglers (4-22-08)

Published on April 22, 2008 under ECHL (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder News Release


FACEOFF: 7:05 p.m. PT

RADIO: 1420-AM KSTN

INTERNET: www.stocktonthunder.com (B2 Networks)

NATIONAL CONFERENCE QUARTERFINAL

Game 1: Stockton 4 at Las Vegas 2

Game 2: Stockton 4 at Las Vegas 5 (OT)

Game 3: Las Vegas 3 at Stockton 2

Game 4: Las Vegas 4 at Stockton 3 (OT)

Game 5: Las Vegas 3 at Stockton 6

Game 6: at Las Vegas - Tuesday, April 22 - 7:05 p.m.

Game 7: at Las Vegas - Wednesday, April 23 - 7:05 p.m. *

* If necessary

THUNDER AWARD WINNERS

o Most Valuable Player - Brandon Schwartz

o Best Defenseman - Brian Lee

o Unsung Hero - Mark Adamek

REGULAR SEASON LEADERS

o GOALS - Lance Monych (32)

o ASSISTS - Brandon Schwartz (36)

o POINTS - Monych/Schwartz (52)

o PIM - Adam Huxley (200)

o POWER PLAY GOALS - Monych (12)

TONIGHT'S MATCHUP

The eighth-seeded Thunder face the first-seed Las Vegas Wranglers, trailing 3-2 in the best-of-seven series and need a victory to keep the series alive. A Thunder win will send the series to game 7 on Wednesday in Las Vegas. The matchup features players with first round NHL Entry Draft experience (Ryan O'Marra of the Thunder and Peter Ferraro of the Wranglers) that span 13 years - Ferraro was drafted 24th overall by the New York Rangers in 1992 and O'Marra was drafted 15th overall by the New York Islanders in 2005.

PLAYOFF SERIES RECAP

GAME 1: Rookie Jonas Almtorp's shorthanded goal with 4:19 left in regulation snapped a 2-2 tie, highlighting a four-goal rally in the third period to help lift the eighth-seed Thunder to a stunning 4-2 comeback victory over the first-seed Las Vegas Wranglers in game 1 of the National Conference Quarterfinal round of the 2008 Kelly Cup Playoffs, before a crowd of 3,442 at Orleans Arena on Friday night. The Thunder scored four goals in the third period comeback with additional tallies coming from Tim O'Connell, Lance Monych and Stephane Goulet. Goaltender Tim Boron made 39 saves for the win in net.

GAME 2: Ryan Donally scored a game-winning goal 28 seconds into sudden-death overtime to help the Las Vegas Wranglers send the Thunder to a 5-4 overtime loss in game 2 of the National Conference Quarterfinal round of the 2008 Kelly Cup Playoffs, before a crowd of 3,653 at Orleans Arena on Saturday. Brandon Schwartz led the Thunder with a three point effort (2g-1a) and forced overtime in the final minute of regulation as the series was tied 1-1 (best-of-seven). Tim O'Connell, and Jacob Micflikier added goals for the Thunder.

GAME 3: The Las Vegas Wranglers scored two goals in the final 1:15 of regulation to pose an improbable comeback, finished by Aki Seitsonen's shorthanded game-winning goal with 12.8 seconds left to send the Thunder to a 3-2 loss in game 3 of the National Conference Quarterfinal round, in front of a crowd of 5,053 at Stockton Arena on Sunday night. Goaltender Tim Boron made a series-high 44 saves while Ryan O'Marra and Jacob Micflikier scored goals for the Thunder.

GAME 4: Adam Cracknell's game-winning goal with 20 seconds left in the first sudden-death overtime period completed a four-goal rally by the Las Vegas Wranglers, who sent the Thunder to a 4-3 overtime loss in game four of the National Conference Quarterfinals and a 3-1 series deficit (best-of-seven), before a crowd of 5,569 at Stockton Arena on Friday. The Thunder was led by Jacob Micflikier's goal and an assist to pace the offense. Goaltender Tim Boron, making his fourth straight start in the series, set a Thunder playoff record with 48 saves (previous - 46, Devan Dubnyk, 4/13/07 vs. Idaho)

GAME 5: Stephane Goulet scored the first hat trick in Thunder playoff history and Jacob Micflikier scored a career-high and Thunder playoff-record five points (1g-4a), sinking the Las Vegas Wranglers in a 6-3 Thunder victory in game 5 of the National Conference Quarterfinals before a crowd of 4,456 at Stockton Arena on Sunday. The Thunder, who also set a team single-period playoff record with four goals in the first 20 minutes and six goals in the game, also received goals from Brandon Schwartz, Ryan O'Marra and Micflikier.

PLAYOFF NOTEWORTHY

3 games in the series have been decided by one goal ... the Thunder has been invovled in 4 all-time overtime playoff games, with 3 at Stockton Arena ... rookie Jacob Micflikier is second in ECHL playoff scoring with 12 points (4g-8a) in 5 games and is tied for the league's playoff lead with 8 assists

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

"The key for us is to realize that we can only worry about (today) and take care of that first. We've proven we can beat them and have to take it one at a time."

- Thunder captain Brad Farynuk, The Record, 4/20/08 on trying to overcome a 3-1 series deficit

CROWING OUT THE ECHL

The Thunder finished the regular season as the ECHL's attendance champions for the third consecutive season and drew four capacity crowds of 9,737 this year at Stockton Arena. It is the second straight year the Thunder has surpassed the mark of 230,000 fans for one season. The Thunder's yearly attendance total finished at 239,337, an average of 6,648 fans per game. The Thunder became the first team since 2004-05 to lead the ECHL in attendance for three straight seasons (Florida led the ECHL in attendance for five straight seasons).

REGIONAL COINCIDENCE

The NHL's San Jose Sharks are currently in the midst of a first round Stanley Cup Playoff series with the Calgary Flames, the third time both teams have met in the head-to-head history. The Thunder, located 81 miles east of the Sharks' home turf - HP Pavilion at San Jose - are in the midst of a first round Kelly Cup Playoff series with the Las Vegas Wranglers - the ECHL affiliate of the Flames.

GOAL(TENDING) ORIENTED

Goaltender Tim Boron has provided some of the most prolific goaltending in the Thunder's three-year history, breaking the single-season club record with three shutouts and made a career-high 50 saves against Las Vegas in a 1-0 win at Stockton Arena on January 20. Boron ranked for third in the ECHL with three shutouts and won a CHL Championship last year with the Colorado Eagles as a rookie. Meanwhile, Thunder rookie netminder Glenn Fisher, a fifth round selection (148th overall) of the Edmonton Oilers in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, parlayed his two best months of the season in February and March. Fisher had a season-best 2.52 goals-against-average and .933 save percentage in February and had a.908 save percentage in March. Fisher was a part of college national power Denver (NCAA) and helped guide the Pioneers to the program's second straight national championship (7th overall) in 2004-05.

IT AIN'T OVER TILL IT'S OVER ...

The Thunder had five wins this season when trailing after two periods, including four on home ice at Stockton Arena.

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT

The Thunder has one player (goaltender Tim Boron) with pro championship experience - Boron was in net for the CHL's Colorado Eagles last season as a rookie. Additionally, two other Thunder players have reached the Kelly Cup Finals. Captain and defenseman Brad Farynuk tied the ECHL lead among defensemen and led all Dayton defensemen with 16 points (4g-12a) in 22 Kelly Cup Playoff games last year, helping guide the Bombers to a Kelly Cup Finals berth. Thunder defenseman Tim O'Connell leads the Thunder with 61 games of professional playoff experience, helping guide the Florida EverBlades to two consecutive berths in the Kelly Cup Finals (2004 and 2005).

Below is a list of the top-5 Thunder players who have the most pro playoff experience in games:

PLAYER GAMES

Tim O'Connell 64

Tim Verbeek 43

Brad Farynuk 27

Brian Lee 18

Joe Dustin 16

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